Package



.Jm. 9, 1940. J, YATE 2,186,087

PACKAGE Filed July 23, 1958 666M ch ATTOR N EY Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE memes Application July 23, 1938, Serial No. 220,945

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a package.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and eflicient package for brewing or extracting a commodity such as tea or coffee, comprising a container preferably of substantially non-stretchable material or pleatable material such as parchment paper, or other cellulosic material of similar nature, and inwhich provision is made through pleated portions thereof for permitting expansion of the container during the brewing of the tea or coffee or other commodity.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the package and more specifically in the tea bag hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specificatioin.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a perforated blank from which the present container is constructed; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container before being sealed and illustrating the multiple pleats at the bottom of the bag; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed container; Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, showing a modified form of the container; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of another modification illustrating a longitudinal fold or pleat in the container; Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a front eleva- 0 tion of still another modification of the invention illustrating laterally folded pleats in the container, and Fig. 9 is a cross-section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawing, l0 represents a 35 blank of perforated parchment paper or similar non-stretchable or pleatable material, the broken lines l2 indicating the lines of fold for producing the multiple pleated bottom of the bag as illustrated at It, see Fig. 2. In practice it is preferred to form the bag of the so-called envelope or pillow type and this is preferably accomplished, as illustrated in Fig. 3, by securing together the free marginal portions of the bag by lines of stitches l6 after the blank has been folded to form the bag and the latter filled with a commodity, the completed. bag being indicated at 20. The usual tag 22 may be conveniently connected to the bag by an extension of one line of stitch- 5 ing, following the usual formation of the so-called pillow type tea bags now upon the market.

In the form of tea bag illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the bottom of the container is formed by'a single fold or pleat 24 resulting in the completed 65 bag 26, as illustrated in Fig. 5, when the marginal portions of the free edges of the bag are secured together.

Another modification of the pleated bag illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 comprises a longitudinal fold or pleat on either side of the container 5 which may be formed by including the upper portion of the fold in the line of stitches 16.

Another form of the pleated container, illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, contemplates a series of lateral folds or pleats 32 formed in the sides of m the bag and the pleats are held in place at the marginal edges of the bag by the line of the stitches l6.

From the above description and by reference to the drawing, it will beobserved that the present constructionof the package is particularly adapted as a tea or coffee bag and which tends to become distended during the brewing process.

The pleated construction of the bag, and particularly of a bag of the pillow type, enables parchl0 ment paper and other non-stretchable or pleatable materials to be used. Parchment paper is adapted to hold its original shape after it has remained immersed in the hot liquid for a relatively long period, and the provision of pleats or 25 folds in a container of the nature above described permits the container to expand without undue stretching during the brewing process without injury to the container. Although the free marginal edges of the container are herein illustrated 30 as being secured by stitching it will be apparent that they may be secured together in any other suitable manner.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and de- 35 scribed, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a packa e for dispensing a commodity to be brewed comprising a perforate container and a commodity enclosed within the container, the bottom of the container being folded so as to form a pleat therein adapted to permit the container to expand when the commodity is distended during the brewing process.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a package for-dispensing a commodity to be brewed comprising a perforate container provided with stitching along the marginal edges to close the same, a commodity enclosed within the container, the body portion of the container being folded so as to form a series of pleats therein adapted to permit the container to expand when the commodity is distended during the brewing process, said pleats being held in place by the stitching along the edges. v

3. As a new article of manufacture, a package for dispensing a commodity to be brewed comprising a paper container and a commodity enclosed within the container, the bottom of the container being folded so as to form a pleat there- 10 in adapted to permit the container to expand when the commodity is distended during the brewing process.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a package for dispensing a commodity to be brewed 15 comprising a paper container provided with stitching along the marginal edges to close the same, a commodity enclosed within the container, the body portion of the container being folded so as to form a series of pleats therein 2 adapted to permit the container to expand when the commodity is distended during the brewing process, said pleats being held in place by the stitching along the edges.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a tea or coflee bag of the so-called flat pillow type comprising a perforate fibrous sheet folded into bag form and having two sides and the top stitched to close the same, a commodity enclosed within and partially filling the bag and a series of pleats formed in the bottom of the bag to cause the container to expand when the commodity is distended during the brewing process.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a tea or cofiee bag of the so-called flat pillow type comprising a perforate fibrous sheet folded into bag form and having two sides and the top stitched to close the same, a. commodity enclosed within and partially filling the bag and a series of pleats extending from one of the sewn edge portions of the bag and being held in place by the aforesaid stitching.

JOHN YATES. 

